The Best American series has been the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction since 1915. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of periodicals. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the very best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected--and most popular--of its kind.

Roger Angell. La Vie en Rose from The New Yorker Andrea Barrett. The Sea of Information from The Kenyon Review Paul Crenshaw. Storm Country from Southern Humanities Review Brian Doyle. Joyas Voladoras from The American Scholar Kitty Burns Florey. Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog from Harper's Magazine Jonathan Franzen. The Comfort Zone from The New Yorker Ian Frazier. If Memory Doesn't Serve from The Atlantic Monthly Mark Greif. Against Exercise Edward Hoagland. Small Silences from Harper's Magazine Ted Kooser. Small Rooms in Time from River Teeth Jonathan Lethem. Speak, Hoyt-Schermerhorn from Harper's Magazine E.J. Levy. Mastering the Art of French Cooking from Salmagundi Michael Martone. Contributor's Note from Flyway David Masello. My Friend Lodovico Danielle Ofri. Living Will from The Missouri Review Sam Pickering. Dog Days from River Teeth Oliver Sacks. Speed from The New Yorker Cathleen Schine. Dog Trouble from The New Yorker David Sedaris. Old Faithful from The New Yorker Paula Speck. Six Seconds from Meridian Bert O. States. Skill Display in Birding Groups from The North American Review Robert Stone. The Prince of Possibility from The New Yorker Ellen Ullman. Dining with Robots from The American Scholar David Foster Wallace. Consider the Lobster fromGourmet Holly Welker. Satin Worship from PMS Biographical Notes Notable Essays of 2004

The Best American series has been the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction since 1915. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of periodicals. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the very best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected--and most popular--of its kind.

Table of Contents

Roger Angell. La Vie en Rose from The New Yorker Andrea Barrett. The Sea of Information from The Kenyon Review Paul Crenshaw. Storm Country from Southern Humanities Review Brian Doyle. Joyas Voladoras from The American Scholar Kitty Burns Florey. Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog from Harper's Magazine Jonathan Franzen. The Comfort Zone from The New Yorker Ian Frazier. If Memory Doesn't Serve from The Atlantic Monthly Mark Greif. Against Exercise Edward Hoagland. Small Silences from Harper's Magazine Ted Kooser. Small Rooms in Time from River Teeth Jonathan Lethem. Speak, Hoyt-Schermerhorn from Harper's Magazine E.J. Levy. Mastering the Art of French Cooking from Salmagundi Michael Martone. Contributor's Note from Flyway David Masello. My Friend Lodovico Danielle Ofri. Living Will from The Missouri Review Sam Pickering. Dog Days from River Teeth Oliver Sacks. Speed from The New Yorker Cathleen Schine. Dog Trouble from The New Yorker David Sedaris. Old Faithful from The New Yorker Paula Speck. Six Seconds from Meridian Bert O. States. Skill Display in Birding Groups from The North American Review Robert Stone. The Prince of Possibility from The New Yorker Ellen Ullman. Dining with Robots from The American Scholar David Foster Wallace. Consider the Lobster fromGourmet Holly Welker. Satin Worship from PMS Biographical Notes Notable Essays of 2004